Sixth Day—Monday.

Otago Witness, Issue 1927, 29 January 1891, Page 31

Sixth Day— Monday.

Napier, January 26.

To-day saw the thirteenth annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association brought to a close. The weather, which last week had been magnificent, changed for the worse this morning, and about 10 o'clock rain commenced to fall heavily. Fortunately there was not a breath of wind, and the light was favourable, so that all the shootists had to contend with was the uneomfortableness of the rain. Towards noon there was a lull, bat just before the Championship was fired there was another heavy downpour, which continued until the match wa3 nearly finished. In this state of affairs it was not to be wondeied at that there were no visitors out from Napier to witness the big match of the meeting, and onlookers were confined to those persons who were engaged in camp. The day's work consisted of the Grand Aggregate match of 500, 600, and 700 yds, seven shots, and the Champion match, 900 yds, 10 I shots. The former was open to the hundred ! highest aggregate scorers in the Hawke'a Bay, Marlborougb, Wanganui, Nelson, Ladies', Christchurch, and Otago matches, and was fired during the morning. Some tall scores were recorded at 500ydfl. KtU3e (Wanganui) made the poseible, 35, while Perry (Wanganui), Henderson (Auckland), and Somerville (Wanganui) ran up 34 each. Kruse kept his advantage at the next range, where he scored 31, and at 700 yds did fairly well with 27, taking first prize with a total of 93 out of 105. To the surprise of everybody, Webster, with 31 at the shortest range, made a big burst at 500yd8, where he only scored 14 with two misses'. However, he regained his lost laurels at the long range, and put on the grand score of 33 onfc of 35 — the highest made at this distance daring the meeting. His two sighters were outers, and he did not take them. His first and second shots were bulls, and his third a magpie, the rest being dead on the bull. His breakdown at the previous range told on his average, and he did not geb into the prize list. Second money went to M'Carthy (Wakari), who totalled up 33, 30, and 28 at the respective ranges At 600 yds 31 was the highest number scored, -but at the long distance Begg (Dunedin) plumped on 32 with a magpie and centre.- The positions of the leading men in the aggregates were altered to some extent by the result of this match. Webster (Aacklaod) fell from first to second place, Krase (Wanganui) passing him with 10 points to the good. It should be mentioned, however, that Sloaue (Victoria) really earned second place, he being three points in front of the Auckland man, but as the rules do not admit of an Australian firing in the final for the Belt he had to stand down, and consequently Webster took the vacant position. King (Oamaru) in his turn receded a step, ana Perry (Wanganui) passed M'Callum and came fourth on the list. Henderson (Auckland) and Wakelyn (Christchurch) maintained the:r positions, and Williams (Wellington) came up from seventeenth to seventh place. The following is the prize liafc:Grand Aggregatb Match. Private Kruse, Wanßanul Rifles, £10... ... 93 Private M'Oartby. Wakari Bifleß, £8 ... 91 Gunner Howe, D Battery, Welling ton, £6 ... 90 Priv Manning. Hon. Reserve, Chrlstchurch, £5 89 PO Williams, Wellington Navals, £1... ... 89 Sergeant Grant, Waimate Rifles, £4 ... ... 88 Mr Sloane, Yarrawonga Rifle piub. £2 ... 87 Gunner Taylor, A Battery, Auckland, £2 ... 85 Lieutenant-commander Davy, Petone Navals, £2 84 Sergeant Gillies, Otago High School Cadets, £2 83 Captain Flyger. New Zealand Volunteers, £1 ... 83 Gunner Weir. Thames Navals, £1 ... ... 83 W Law, Dunedin Rifle Club, £1 ... ... 83 Major Purnell, Wanganui, £1 ... ... 82 Corporal W Ballinger. Wellington Guards. £1 ... 89 Sergeant Biddell, Waimate Bifles, £l ... 838 3 Gunner Henderson, A Battery, Auckland, £1 ... 82 Gunner Begg, Dunedin Navals, £1 ... ... S\ Mr J Dickson, Peninsula Rifle Club, £1 ... 8 t H Atkinson, Wellington City Rifles, £l ... 80 Corporal Hutchison. North Dunedin. £1 ... 80 Set-major M'Lean, Wairoa Mounted Infantry, Ml 8q Lieutenant Bales, Victoria Rifles, £1... ... 80 H Okey, Taranaki Rifles, £1 ... ... 8q

H. Csto (Napier Rifles) and Sergeant Parslow (A. Battery, Auckland) were counted out.

The following were the 50 to fire in the final stage for the belt :— Kruse, Wanganui ... 591 Hughes, Wanganui... 450 Sloane, Victoria ... 497 Begg, Dunedin ... 450 Webster, Auckland... 494 W Ballinger, Wel't'n 450 King, Oamaru ... 487 Oafco, Napier ... 448 Perry, Wanganui ... 479 Remington, W'ng'nui 447 Henderson. Auokl'nd 478 Kelly, Auckland ... 447 Wakelyn, Ohristc'oh 473 Dougherty, Auokl'nd 447 Williams, Wellingt'n 472 Woollet. Dunedin ... 447 Weir. Thames ... 4(59 Davy, Petone ... 44T Parslow. Auckland... 487 Flyger, Wellington... 446 M'Oallum, Auckland 465 Tiffen, Gisborne ... 445 M Oarthy, Wakari ... 485 Okey, Taranaki ... 444 Somerville, Wang'nui 463 Atkinson, Welling'tn 414 M'Gregor, Oamaru... 481 MjrPurhell.W'ng'n'i 412 King, Napier ...461 Manning, Ohr'stch'ch 441 Law, Dunedin ... 461 Hay, Auckland ... 440 Bobilliard, Kaiapoi... 459 Randell, Manawatu... 439 Martin, Tuapeka ... 457 Oakden, Duaedin ... 439 White. Auckland ... 456 Berton. Featherstone 438 Bunting, Wellington 455 A France, Wellington 438 Sonntag, Wakari ...455 Drummond, Napier 437 Taylor, Auckland ... 455 Oor Hufcchiiaon, D'u 437 Morrison, Dunedin... 453 Hooker, N Plymouth 434 Stitt, Wellington ... 452 Henry. Wellington... 433 Buobanan, Auckland 452 Riddell. Wai mate ... 433 J Diokson, Duuedin 451 Gillies, Duaedin ... 43,3

Sloane was debarred from taking part in the final stage. Punctually at 2 o'clock a start was made with the Champion match, but owing to the good lead held by the Wanganui man, interest was not so keen as has been the case at some previous gatherings. The Auckland contingent pioned their faith to Webster, and were pretty confident that be would be able to wear Krase down in the 10 shots. The Wanganui men were equallyconfident that their man could last to the end, and finish up with a few points to spare. Onlookers crowded round the board on which the scores of these two men were being recorded, and comparatively little attention was paid to the other competitors after their first two or three shots bad gone. Webster was the first to get under weigh, and, taking two sighters made an outer each time. He did not, of course allow these to be counted. The next ehob be got on ih« ball's eyr, following with two magpies.. He continued to eliQfli! steadily,

and finished up with three bulls and a magpie, I making a total of 42, which is an average of two I over inners. Kruse made a bad start, going I clean off the target in the first sighting shot, * and ouly making two ia his next one. His ; first three counted shots were magpies, after whiVh he scored his first and only ball in the match. The Auckland man finished firing first, and all interest was centred in the two shots which Kruse had to go. The black aud whito disc (3) showed up atfcer his second last shot, making him 32, and leaving h ; m the certainty of a tie with Wejaster for first place if he hit the target. He did more than this and secured an inner (4), thus establishing himself as champion rifle shot of the colony for 1891-92. Kruse was carried shoulder from the range to the camp byhiß delighted comrades, and Webster and the other men close up were all well received. Webster was warmly congratulated on his plucky shooting in the final. Kruse's individual shots were 3335434334, and Webster's 5335445553. King and Perry maintained third and fourth places respectively, although the former made the comparatively poor score of 28, including two misses. Weir (Thames), who was eighth when the match commenced, was passed by Parslow, M'Carthy, and Bobilliard, and did not get into the prize list. Robilliard (Kaiapoi) put on 43 at the .range, and this brought him up to ninth place, with 502. Two Wellington men— W. Ballinger (Guards) aud Stitt (Navals)— made top score at the range with 46 each. As the rifle cup fell to the highest scorer in the Champion match, the tie had to be decided, and on classifying ib was found that Stitt had made the better shooting. He was therefore declared holder of the cup for 1891-92. The following is the prize list in Thb Champion Match. Private Kruse. Wanganui Eiflea, champion rifle belt for 1891-92. gold star New Zealand Bifie Association, and £40 ... ... ... 538 Bombardier Webster, A Battery, Auckland, silver star N.Z.8.A., and £30 ... ... 536 Band-cot-poral King. Oamaru Garrison Band, silver Btar N Z 8.A., and £20 ... ... 515 Sergeant Perry. Alexandra Cavalry, Wanganui, silver Btar N.Z 8.A., and £15 ... ... 511 Gunner Henderson, A Battery, Auckland, £\0 510 Private Wakelyn, Hon. Kerve Corps. JBS ... 509 PO Williams, Wellington Kaval Artillery, £5 ... 507 Sergeant Faralow, A Bat t fry, Auckland, £5 ... £05 Private Bobilliard, Kaiapoi Riflea, £5 ... 502 Private M'Oartby, Wakari Rifles, £5 ... 500 The marking throughout the meeting has been excellent, only 10 mistakes having been made. Upwards of 60,000 rounds of aminuni- ' tion were fired, and the sale of sighting shots has been the largest ever made in connection with the association. The following are the individual winnings ■of over £s:— Krase (Wanganui), £76; Webster (Auckland), £64; King (Oamaru\£37; Perry (Wanganui), £34 ; Wakelyn (Christshuroh), £27 ; M'Carthy (Wnkari), £23; Henderson (Auckland), £23 ; M'Callum (Auckland), £22 ; Taylor (Auckland), £22; Doughty (Auckland), £20; Sloane (Victoria), £20; Williams ( Wellington), £19; Parslow (Auckland), £19; Oakden (Dunediu), £18; A. Ballinger (Wellington), £18; Bunting (Wellington), £18; Weir (Thames), £18; W. Ballinger (Wellington), £15; Stitt (Wellington), £13; Robilliard (Kaiapoi), £13; Morrison (Dunedin), £13; Howe (Wellington), £13; White (Auckland), £13; Bales (Victoria), £13; Picbett (Te Nai), £12 12s; M'Gregor ' (Oamaru), £12 ; King (Napier), £10 ; Mahoney (Wanganui), £10 ; Ross (Napier), £9 ; Remington (Wanganui), £9 ; Foster (Wanganui), £9 ; Marten (Tuapeka), £9; Begg (Dunedin), £8; Woollett (Dunedin), £8; Melly (Auckland), £8; Somcrville (Wanganui), £8; Randell (Manawatu), £8; Salek (Ashbnrton) £8; Cameron (Dunedin), £7 : Scott (Christchurch), £7? Johnston (Wanganui), £7; Newell (Taranaki), £7; Manning (Christchurch), £7; Hughes (Wanganni), £7y The presentation of prizes took place at the drillshed to-night, when there was a large attendance of the public. Captain Somerville presided, and the presentation was made by Sirs Swan (wife of Mr G. H. Swan, M.H.R.) Captain Somerville made a few brief remarks upon the success of the meeting, and especially thanked Mr Hislop, the owner of the property on which the range .was situated, for his kindness and cordiality to competitors. He also paid a compliment to the general excellency of the range and to competitors for their first-class shooting. On stepping forward to receive the belt, Private Kruse was most enthusiastically applauded, and the two Victorian visitors, Lieutenant Bales and Mr Sloane, also met with a big reception.